The London stock market finished the week on a high note today, Friday, 27 February 2026, with the FTSE 100 reaching a fresh record closing high. The index gained 63.85 points (+0.59%) to settle at 10,910.55, having touched an all-time intraday peak of 10,934.94 during the session.
This rally marks a significant milestone, as the "Footsie" surpassed the 10,900 mark for the first time, putting the psychologically important 11,000 barrier within touching distance.
Market Movers: Winners and Losers
Today’s performance was driven by a flurry of corporate earnings and strategic updates that impressed investors, even as political uncertainty flickered in the background following a surprise by-election result.
The Top Risers
Rightmove (RMV.L) (+6.2%): The property giant topped the blue-chip leaderboard after unveiling resilient earnings and an ambitious new AI strategy, including plans to launch a dedicated app within ChatGPT to streamline property searches.
London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG.L) (+3.5%): Continued to surge following positive analyst reactions to its recent results and ongoing buyback programmes.
Rolls-Royce (RR.L) (+1.7%): Shares reached new heights after the engineering firm lifted its mid-term profit targets, buoyed by a strong recovery in its civil aerospace division.
Fresnillo (FRES.L) (+3.7%): Leading a wider rally in mining stocks as precious metals prices firmed up toward the end of the week.
The Notable Fallers
Melrose Industries (MRO.L) (-11.2%): The aerospace group was the day's biggest laggard, with shares tumbling after it issued cautious sales guidance for 2026, citing ongoing supply chain bottlenecks and potential tariff pressures.
IAG (IAG.L) (-5.1%): Despite reporting a 20% jump in annual profits, the British Airways owner saw its shares dip as investors locked in profits following a "muted" reaction to its outlook.
Tesco (TSCO.L) (-3.6%): Slipped alongside Sainsbury’s (-2.4%) as retail sectors faced pressure from a cooling in consumer spending data released earlier today.
The Macro Picture: Sterling and Politics
While the stock market cheered, the British Pound faced a tougher afternoon. Sterling dipped to $1.3455 as traders reacted to the Green Party’s landmark by-election victory in Gorton and Denton. The result has intensified speculation regarding a potential leadership challenge within the Labour Party later this year, leading to a slight "political risk" discount on the currency.
Analysis: Is 11,000 Next?
Investment directors are noting that 2026 is shaping up to be a bumper year for UK equities. With the FTSE 100 now less than 1% away from the 11,000 mark, the momentum suggests the milestone could be reached as early as next week’s Spring Statement.
"Two months in, and it looks like 2026 could be a second consecutive bumper year for investors putting their faith in UK stocks," noted Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.